8:45 a.m.: Jet airliner crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

9:03 a.m.: A second airliner crashes into its twin south tower, causing a devastating explosion.

9:10 a.m.: In Florida, President Bush is reading to children in a classroom when his chief of staff, Andrew Card, whispers news of the attacks into his ear.

9:20 a.m.: The FBI investigates reports of planes being hijacked before the World Trade Center crashes.

9:29 a.m.: First reports of casualties indicate that at least six people were killed, with at least 1,000 injured.

9:30 a.m.: Bush declares: "We have had a national tragedy. Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country."

9:43 a.m.: Another plane crashes into the Pentagon in Washington. The nerve center of the U.S. military bursts into flames and a portion of one side of the five-sided structure collapses.

9:48 a.m.: The White House and the Capitol are evacuated amid further threats.

9:49 a.m.: All airports across the U.S. shut down.

10:00 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93, en route from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco, crashes near Pittsburgh. The crash site is 85 miles northwest of Camp David.

10:05 a.m.: The south tower of the World Trade Center collapses.

10:29 a.m.: The north tower of the World Trade Center collapses.

I. We Are Shocked by Storms

After all they were following Christ, Matt. 8:23

A. Jesus first addresses would be followers

1. Some only follow for conveniences,

"Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" Matt. 8:19b, 20.)

2. Some only follow when it is convenient

("And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father" Matt. 8:21.)

That seems to be a reasonable request on the surface. But the issue is more complex than it first appears. Obviously, the father had not recently died, nor was he awaiting burial; otherwise the young man would not be along the beach at such a crucial time for the family! Alfred Plummer cites an instance of an oriental custom and expression that sheds light on this mysterious passage. "At the present day, an oriental, with his father sitting by his side, has been known to say respecting his future projects: ‘But I must first bury my father.’" The young man did not give the kingdom the highest priority in his